Plans to sell Carole Nash and Bollington

The owner of insurer Carole Nash and broker Bollington is pressing ahead with plans to sell the businesses after agreeing a deal to offload its other UK operations last week. French firm Groupama UK owns motorcycle insurance specialist Carole Nash, which employs around 275 in Altrincham and 25 in Dublin, and holds a majority stake in Macclesfield-based broker Bollington.

The owner of insurer Carole Nash and broker Bollington is pressing ahead with plans to sell the businesses after agreeing a deal to offload its other UK operations last week.

French firm Groupama UK owns motorcycle insurance specialist Carole Nash, which employs around 275 in Altrincham and 25 in Dublin, and holds a majority stake in Macclesfield-based broker Bollington.

Neither were included in a deal announced on Friday which saw Ageas, which provides insurance cover for Tesco, Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, agree to buy the remainder of Groupama’s UK insurance operations.

Groupama is an underwriter for the AA as well as a provider of non-standard cover and niche small business policies, largely through brokers. It employs around 600 people at offices in Manchester's Spring Gardens, Borehamwood, Portsmouth and Croydon.

The £116m takeover adds another million UK policyholders to Ageas's books.